After 10 years serving as a split pastor between Beverly and Ipswich, Reverend Marj Stark is retiring — at least for now.

Stark has long-served parishioners of the United Methodist Church in Ipswich and the United Memorial Methodist Church in Beverly, and now it’s time she serves herself.

Working as a split pastor has taken a lot out of Stark, by her own admission, and her only plans for retirement are rest. That, and unpack the plethora of boxes scattered around her new Beverly condo, which Stark and her husband moved from the Ipswich church parsonage.

Stark’s retirement comes after 23 years and change in parish ministry. All but four of those years she has worked at multiple churches. Before working in Ipswich and Beverly, Stark has served in Lynn, Tewksbury and Gloucester.

"So I’m exhausted, basically," said Stark. "I’m sure I have many more years of being in ministry of some kind, but I need to take some time off and rest, discern where God is calling me next."

Stark admitted that in her retirement she might return to work. However, at the moment, her last day was Sunday, June 29.

The following Sunday, July 6, new pastor Reverend Adam Randazzo of Athol, Mass., will pick up where Stark left off.

"I think there’s going to be a real change in the new pastor," Stark said.

Stark said Randazzo, unlike herself, has a gift for evangelism. She lacked the energy to recruit members, as she suffers from chronic back problems. She also underwent a knee replacement surgery and foot surgery during her time as pastor.

"Adam is half my age, so I hope he can get out here and bring in new members to the churches," Stark said. "Turnout has been dwindling, I’m sorry to say."

Stark thinks the World War II generation will go down in history as the last loyal church-going group, because, "They were raised in a time when the church was everything and it continues to be everything to them."

Stark has witnessed a new breed of churchgoers over her years — those expecting to be served, not to serve others.

"When there is work to be done, I don’t want to say that these people run for the hills, but it seems like the people who come and stay are more of that older generation," Stark said.

The United Methodist Church has an ever-shrinking pool of volunteers. However, those who remain are dedicated. Various committees keep track of the church’s finances, properties, worship planning services and more.

As the leader Stark has learned to delegate the committees, but her favorite to work with is the worship committee. She enjoys selecting the hymns for each of her services.

Page 2 of 2 - In her retirement, she will most miss her Wednesday morning Bible study class.

"Over the years it started out being a larger group, but we’ve lost people to death and illness and that sort of thing," Stark said. "Now it’s down to four women and we’ve really developed a bond in that class. I will miss them a lot."

Her parishioners will miss her, too.

Long-time United Methodist Church worshipper Sandy Wilson has enjoyed her time working with Stark as the church’s lay leader.

"She’s been very good to work with," said Wilson. "A lot of times she had to keep nudging us to assume responsibility and try to make ourselves visible out in the community."

Thanks to Stark’s persistence, Wilson and several other parishioners did a community walk-through and visited organizations they knew nothing about, such as the House of Peace, an Ipswich shelter for refugees and victims of war.

Wilson also said Stark performs well in case of emergencies, and she is a "stickler" when it comes to celebrations. Stark always included information in the church bulletin about Native American Heritage Month, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Black History Month and more.

"She was very, very good about that," Wilson said.

In Stark’s absence, Wilson prays Randazzo will help with the dwindling enrollment issue.

"We’re hoping Reverend Adam can get some young families in here with children and maybe we can start the buildup, because right now it’s mostly elderly and we’re trying the best we can with what we have," Wilson said.

Wilson will miss Stark, but she understands she’s ready for retirement.

"I think the last three or four charges she’s had have always been with two churches and I can see it is wearing, she’s tired," Wilson said. "I pray, I hope that she can ease into normal living and spend some time with those she loves."